The tower's form and proportions recall the church spires of the City and the masts of ships which plied their trade along the adjacent Thames.
The building's movement is not restricted with any form of damping. Extra rigidity has been attained by employing a 'hat truss' at the building's top, which comprises outriggers that connect the perimeter columns to the core.
The construction contract for the project was signed with Mace in late February 2009.
Southwark Towers was demolished to make way for the building.
The project was given final approval following a Public Inquiry on 19th November 2003.
The Shard is the first skyscraper in Western Europe to both reach and exceed 1,000 feet in height.
The internal areas are used as follows: public areas on floors 1 to 3; offices on floors 4 to 31; a mid-level public area and viewing gallery on floors 34 to 36; a hotel on floors 37 to 51; 114 apartments on floors 52 to 64; and an upper viewing gallery on floors 65 to 66.
At the lower levels, the tower extends the existing public concourse and opens up routes connecting Guy's Hospital, King's College and the southern residential areas to the business communities stretching along the river.
The Shard's extensive use of energy-saving materials and techniques contributes to the building using 30% less energy than other high-rises of comparable dimensions.
Europe's highest public viewing gallery is situated at 244 metres (800 feet).
The tower is environmentally friendly and at 306m (1,003ft) is Western Europe’s tallest habitable building.
The building features a concrete frame which sits atop one made from steel.
The original design for this project, by Broadway Malyan, featured a circular tower of 87-storeys, 365-metres in height. This design was then replaced by an 80-storey, 390-metre design by Renzo Piano, described by many as a 'shard of glass'. Due to further consultation, a height of 310-metres was decided on, and the tower was reduced to 66-storeys.
Following the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, the London Bridge Tower was structurally redesigned to improve stability and reduce evacuation times.
The tower's design features angled glass façade panels which result in a multiformity of changing reflected light patterns.
The building's design has been described by the architect as resembling a sharp, crystal pyramid.
The building's façade is both double-skinned and ventilated, thus reducing solar gain whilst maximising light intake.
Excess heat generated by the offices is used to heat the hotel and apartments, whilst any superfluous heat is dissipated naturally via a radiator atop the building.
Each floor features naturally ventilated 'winter gardens' with operable louvre windows.
The lower level is devoted to 27 office floors.
The lowest of the two public viewing galleries is situated at 121 metres (397 feet) and features 5-star restaurants.
At mid-level is a 197-room Shangri-La hotel.
Residential units are situated at heights from 192 metres (631 feet) to 224 metres (735 feet) and are the tallest in London.
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